FEUDALISM AS A COLONIAL LEGACY: A POSTCOLONIAL EXAMINATION OF DANIYAL MUEENUDDIN’S NARRATIVE

Abstract

Feudalism is the prevalent issue in Pakistani society and is the greatest threat to democratic autonomy. It harmonizes with colonialism in terms of its treatment of individuals. This study aims to present a post-colonial analysis of Daniyal Mueenuddin’s short stories, a Pakistani Anglophone writer, from his renowned collection, “In Other Rooms, Other Wonders” (2010). The stories, taken into consideration, from Mueenuddin’s anthology (2010) include “Nawab din Electrician,” “Saleema,” “In Other Rooms, Other Wonders,” and “A Spoiled Man”. These selected stories recount the tales of the feudal hegemonic framework of governance. The selected narratives are examined using Edward Said’s (1979) notion of “Alterity or Othering.” Afterwards, the study encounters the deep integration of Bhabha’s (1984) vision of “Ambivalence” along with Robert Blauner’s idea of “Internalized Colonialism.” Subsequently, the research uncovers the concept of “Colonial Desire,” presented by Robert J. C. Young, and “Double Colonization” (Petersen and Rutherford, 1986), embedded within the narrative of Mueenuddin (2010), that reflects the socio-political condition of people living under feudal rule. Thus, the theoretical framework embracing multiple views of diverse theorists enables this study to present an account that has broader implications. Comprehensively, this study highlights the legacy of colonialism, which exists even today, but with a distinct designation and manifestation.